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In the 1990s, anime was far from being a mainstream phenomenon, primarily appealing to a small, dedicated audience. However, by the 2000s, the Japanese art form began to capture global attention, ultimately establishing itself as a significant player in the entertainment industry. While some iconic series have concluded their stories, others continue to captivate audiences, either through revivals or sporadic releases marked by lengthy hiatuses between seasons.
For newcomers to the anime world, spoilers can be a source of immense frustration. Many prefer to experience the twists and turns of their favorite shows firsthand, rather than having key plot points spoiled through social media memes or viral videos. Compounding this issue is the timing gap between an anime series and its manga counterpart, with the latter often revealing key secrets before they’re animated. To preserve the thrill for future anime enthusiasts, certain pivotal spoilers should remain under wraps.
Take, for instance, the gripping narrative of Attack on Titan. From its onset, viewers are introduced to a harsh and seemingly straightforward universe where humanity exists solely within the confines of massive walls, protecting them from the terrifying Titans. Yet, as the storyline unfolds, it becomes apparent that the world is far more complex than initially believed, with historical clues gradually unraveling to challenge initial expectations.
The Dark Truth Beyond The Three Walls in Attack on Titan
From the very beginning of Attack on Titan, viewers are drawn into a brutal yet simplistic world. It appears as though the entirety of the human race was trapped behind the Walls, sheltering them against the carnivorous monstrosities known as the Titans. As the story continued, however, it dropped more and more historical clues that implied something other than what the audience was expecting.
It isn’t until the end of Season 3 that Attack on Titan drops the most stunning truth-bomb: not only does the outside world exist, but several nations have been flourishing for centuries as Paradis remained a Titan-infested hell. This is a moment that changes everything, especially for Eren, whose crusade takes on a different approach following the discovery.
Spoiling this revelation severely impacts the anime’s attempt to reframe its own genre, themes, and moral structure. What began as a survival horror story metamorphoses into a far more complicated political tragedy about history and oppression. Knowing this truth in advance collapses the mystery and robs audiences of the shock designed to make them reevaluate everything they once believed about Attack on Titan.
The Shockingly Dull Demise of L Lawliet in Death Note
After acquiring the titular Death Note, Light Yagami transforms from a mild-mannered teenager into the malevolent Kira. He embarks on a self-motivated quest to rid the world of evil, oblivious to his own increasingly villainous behavior. L Lawliet serves as Kira’s foil for the first two arcs of Death Note, a noble-willed character who nearly identifies the monster masquerading as a man.
Shonen anime series rarely take the course plotted by Death Note, whose genre subversion prevents a single definition for heroism. That said, L is clearly meant to counter the murderous rampage of Kira (or Killer). L and Kira are intellectual equals, effectively turning the show into a chess match between two radically opposing forms of humanity.
As such, nobody believed that L would perish before he could bring Kira to justice. Fans who’ve never seen Death Note might probably expect L to triumph at the conclusion — and the foreknowledge of this event drains the suspense and undermines the tension that fuels the anime. The emotional vacuum left behind by L’s death was meant to be experienced in realtime.
Death Note
- Release Date
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August 25, 2017
- Runtime
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101 minutes
Cast
The Nature of the Philosopher’s Stone in FMA: Brotherhood
The Philosopher’s Stone has the same essential function in nearly every work of fiction, from Harry Potter to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. This alchemical substance can prolong health and lifespan through artificial means, granting a form of immortality for its users. That said, FMA: Brotherhood makes its version far more complex and fascinating.
Edward and Alphonse Elric begin their hunt for the Philosopher’s Stone in order to restore their anatomical losses. The shiny, red jewel — or its liquid form — represents the hope of reclaiming their bodies without having to obey the Law of Equivalent Exchange. And yet, neither Ed nor Al have any desire to exploit the Philosopher’s Stone once they recognize the manner of its creation.
It turned out that human souls were ingredients necessary for the Philosopher’s Stone, a shocker that instantly turned the Elric brothers away from their quest. They didn’t even care about themselves at this point, highlighting a cost that could never be justified by their good intentions. Spoiling the origins of the Philosopher’s Stone weakens the ethical dilemma at the heart of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, as this reveal turns idealism into moral reckoning.
The Complex Origins of Ichigo Kurosaki’s Heritage in Bleach
Destiny plays an inordinately large role in shonen anime, from Naruto Uzumaki’s Ten-Tails Jinchuriki to Monkey D. Luffy’s Awakened Devil Fruit. Meanwhile, Bleach‘s Ichigo Kurosaki avoided this trope until after the conclusion of the Soul Society arc. That said, fans only knew that Ichigo’s father Isshin was a Shinigami, whereas his mother’s history was left unsaid for the longest time.
A heartfelt conversation with Isshin eventually allowed Ichigo to comprehend his own heritage in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc. As many fans had guessed, Ichigo’s mother Masaki was a pureblooded Quincy who also transferred the White’s Hollow “infection” to her son. It was Masaki’s powers that Ichigo wielded for much of Bleach, largely because Old Man Zangetsu refused to divulge the truth.
Although early fans had complained about the confusion surrounding Ichigo’s powers, Bleach re-contextualized the bewilderment as intentional by emphasizing Masaki’s contribution to her son’s legacy. Spoilers flatten the progression made by each well-timed revelation of Ichigo’s character development, stripping the anime of its emotional payoff.
Bleach
- Release Date
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2004 – 2012-00-00
- Network
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TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC, BS TV Tokyo
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Masakazu Morita
Ichigo Kurosaki (voice)
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Fumiko Orikasa
Rukia Kuchiki
The Final Separation of the Main Trio in Samurai Champloo
Samurai Champloo revolves around the narrative trinity of Jin, Mugen, and Fuu. These three characters couldn’t be more different from each other, as perfectly exemplified by their names. Jin means “benevolence,” befitting his composed demeanor; Mugen means “limitless,” indicating his untamed spirit, and Fuu means “wind,” representing her free nature.
The trio’s bond is forged by circumstance and united by necessity, leaving cliches like destiny for lesser anime series to overuse. However, fans have gotten far too used to the standard anime ending — a union (or reunion) of heroic characters after the main source of villainy has been eradicated.
Samurai Champloo‘s conclusion refuses to romanticize the companionship shared by Jin, Mugen, and Fuu into eternal friendship. Instead, the series acknowledges the fact that people can change through encounters without having to stay in contact with those who changed them for the rest of their lives. Such a stunning defiance of expected emotional closure provides a gravitas that would dissipate if the ending is spoiled.
Samurai Champloo
- Release Date
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2004 – 2005
- Directors
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Shinichirô Watanabe
The Utter Destruction of Cell By Gohan in Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball centralized Goku as the franchise’s overarching antagonist, a status he continues to maintain to this day. That said, Dragon Ball Z did something uniquely surprising. Goku challenged the villainous Cell to battle, mainly conceding because he wanted to extract the hidden potential of his son Gohan. As a result, nearly everyone is surprised when Goku personally chooses Gohan to defend the Earth during the Cell Games.
The consequent battle elevates the stakes even further, with Gohan suffering psychological torture and the other Z-Fighters brutalized by Cell Juniors. In the end, a combination of events triggers Gohan’s Super Saiyan 2, inevitably providing him the killer instinct that Goku had already foreseen.
Cell can barely hold his own against the shock metamorphosis and is eventually defeated by Gohan, albeit with a well-timed assist from Vegeta. Dragon Ball Z firmly proved that Gohan and Goku were different people, but disclosing the outcome of Cell vs. Gohan could weaken the impact of the emotional breaking point required by the hero to reach his peak.
Dragon Ball Z
- Release Date
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1989 – 1996
- Network
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Fuji TV
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Masako Nozawa
Son Goku / Son Gohan / Son Goten (voice)
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Ryo Horikawa
Vegeta (voice)
The Unstoppable Sealing of Satoru Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen‘s mangaka, Gege Akutami, expressed concerns that Satoru Gojo was so powerful that he could change the tides of fate without lifting a finger or two. Shonen anime occasionally have overpowered characters like Gojo — Bleach’s Yamamoto Genryusai being a prime example — but they rarely involve themselves on the frontlines. In comparison, Gojo was the first and last line of defence against the cursed spirits threatening the world.
Gojo feels like a typical shonen protagonist who has already achieved their maximum potential, effectively making the conflicts in JJK meaningless. However, the villains had been preparing for centuries before his birth. In a highly volatile series of events that could have easily gone wrong, Kenjaku successfully captures and seals Satoru Gojo within the so-called Prison Realm.
With Gojo’s mere presence offering safety and protection, removing him from the board shattered the illusion. It destroyed the subconscious assumption that everything would be fine and permanently heightened the stakes of Jujutsu Kaisen. There’s no problem if new fans learn everything about Gojo’s powers and personality, as long as they are unaware that he’s also vulnerable.
Jujutsu Kaisen
- Release Date
-
October 3, 2020
- Network
-
TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
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Yuichi Nakamura
Satoru Gojo
The Radiant Evolution of Nezuko Kamado in Demon Slayer
The Hero’s Journey of Tanjiro Kamado is exclusively bound to his sister — while he doesn’t mind offering the Demon Slayer Corps a hand, he wants nothing more than to restore Nezuko. From the outset, Nezuko sets herself apart from the rest of Muzan’s monstrous creations. She’s friendly with humans, doesn’t touch a drop of human blood, and protects her brother with all the demonic ferocity she can muster.
Demon Slayer reveals that Muzan wants to “conquer the sun” long before he finds a demon capable of doing so, with viewers suspecting that Nezuko would provide that pathway. That said, having a vague suspicion isn’t the same as watching Tanjiro leave Nezuko to burn alive in the morning sun.
In fact, the anime extracts the maximum emotion by prolonging the scene and keeping Nezuko’s fate unclear. Even if her eventual immunity to sunlight was predicted, countless reaction videos on YouTube demonstrated the fandom’s devastated reaction transforming into delight when Nezuko emerged unscathed. This is an experience that every fan deserves to go through.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Release Date
-
2019 – 2024-00-00
- Network
-
Fuji TV, Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV, Kansai TV, Tokai Television Broadcasting, Fukui TV, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, Iwate Menkoi Television, Sendai Television, SAGA TV, TNC, OHK, Ishikawa TV, Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting, TV Shizuoka, UMK TV Miyazaki, Television Shin Hiroshima System, NST, NBS, Sakuranbo TV, TSK, Ehime Broadcasting, KTS, NIB, Fukushima TV, TOS, AKT, Toyama Television, TV Kumamoto, Okinawa Television Broadcasting
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Natsuki Hanae
Tanjiro Kamado (voice)
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Akari Kito
Nezuko Kamado (voice)
The Brutal Murder of Twice By Hawks in My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia‘s title metaphorically refers to the training that Pro Heroes endure to become worthy of saving the world. However, the very foundations of hero society come crumbling down with All For One’s many attacks, not to mention various other aspiring criminals. And one of the series’ darkest moments comes in the form of a fan-favorite beloved character.
After watching Twice’s overwhelming Quirk in action, Hawks was unwilling to let the villain go free. Despite his own doubts, Hawks doesn’t think twice about murdering Twice. This action potentially saved the world, as Twice’s power could have shifted the tides in MHA‘s Final War.
However, Hawks had never been painted as anything other than morally upright until that point. As such, he briefly becomes a villain when he chooses to execute Twice, even if his reasons make practical sense in the middle of a war. Fans themselves began to question the ethics of hero society, exposing the cracks of rationalization and justification required to make such a cold-blooded choice.
My Hero Academia
- Release Date
-
April 2, 2016
- Network
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TBS, MBS, Nippon TV
-
Daiki Yamashita
Izuku Midoriya (voice)
-
Kaito Ishikawa
Manga Fukidashi (voice)
The Ecological History of the Blue Planet in One Piece
Several One Piece spoilers have already been revealed — even those who haven’t watched the anime have probably seen Luffy’s Gear 5 form. That said, One Piece has numerous secrets only revealed at narrative inflection points, effectively maintaining the tension and magnifying the stakes. In fact, the bulk of the Egghead Island arc revolved around a secret that Vegapunk was preparing to uncover.
The Five Elders were so worried about Vegapunk’s spoilers that they nearly destroyed Egghead Island to stop him, but they were ultimately helpless. Vegapunk’s post-mortem broadcast declared that the oceans had been rising for centuries, a reflection of real-world climate change in that certain powerful individuals wanted to retain their power at the cost of everyone else on the Blue Planet.
The world of One Piece was once covered with more landmasses that have since sunk beneath the oceans, leaving a small minority to survive on scattered islands. This is such an unsettling revelation that new fans shouldn’t hear even a reference to the oceans rising, as it would risk destabilizing the narrative coherence so carefully constructed by Eiichiro Oda.
- Release Date
-
October 20, 1999
- Network
-
Fuji TV
- Directors
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Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
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Mayumi Tanaka
Monkey D. Luffy (voice)
-
Kazuya Nakai
Roronoa Zoro (voice)
